An Inventive Christmas Tradition at DE Theatre Co

Delaware Theatre Company's “A Christmas Carol” is a wildly inventive take on the Dicken's classic. The transformation of DTC under ED Bud Martin is moving with Amtrack's Acela type speed (one of their sponsors). There is a whole new inventory of NY trained and experienced actors arriving here at warp speed.

The tech crews have been revamped as well. Aisle Say has seen neither the dramatic lighting nor the creativity of set pieces in this 4 decades old performing arts venue. Credit goes to Chris Lee and Brian Prather respectively.. Lee, for example, has lit over 150 shows on Broadway, London's West End and overseas.

DTC's recent history BB (before Bud) was to attempt to pacify both the budget and the audiences with small casts and unit sets.

While there are only 5 is this cast, all but Scrooge (Andrew Long) played more characters than one could count. Playwright Patrick Barlow solved the dilemma for the audience by simply naming them Actors 1 through 4. (Barlow also wrote Broadways' “39 Steps” which was staged at Philly's Walnut Street Theatre last season).

Huzzah to Director Joe Calarco - winner of 2 Barrymore Awards and 4 Helen Hayes Awards – for keeping the action apace.

3 of the actors play instruments, adding so unequivocally to the gaiety of this message of Christmas humanity. Steve Pacek plays the drum and the flugelhorn; Tina Stafford the accordion - of all things! (I was waiting for the Dickensian take on “Lady of Spain” but it didn't happen); and Jessie Shelton (making her professional debut after graduating from Carnegie Mellon only last year), the violin.

While there was no choreography per se, the paced movement of the actors – and their costume changes – was reminiscent of the UD's REP Ensemble presentation of “Our Country's Good” last year. It was as fluid as the Brandywine Creek being diverted into the millrace and then back again to the creek. You thought you saw a change, but then again it was so sinuous you weren't quite sure.

It's the small things, the devilish details that this whole new era of DTC is about. Tiny Tim is a wooden puppet. It would have been easy to buy one from a theatrical house and train his Dad, Bob Cratchit, how to mobilize that woodeny character. DTC went to one Thomas Getchell, a puppet designer who recently graduated from U of Connecticut's Puppetry Program. He designed and built Tiny Tim expressly for DTC.

Forever imprinted in my Christmas movie mind vault is Scottish actor Alistar Sims' portrayal of Scrooge in the black and white version of 1951. Scrooge awakes realizing he is still alive and the night's torment was only a dream. To call him positively giddy is to say that Rodney Dangerfield was 'somewhat' funny. Sims is deranged, beside himself and we love it. He opens the window and sees the boy passing by. He screams, he cavorts, he implores the boy to go buy the turkey to give to the Cratchits. I am not saying that Andrew Long would replace my image of Alistar Sims..but he was close.

This is a show for the entire family.

It was good to see that in DTC's program was an insert for New Candlelight Theatre, opening with “The Producers' on 25 January. Theatres helping other theatres is a good thing.

Through December 30. 302.594.1100 DelawareTheatre.org

Bat Boy: The Musical - Hysterically Horrifying

Murder, mayhem and misogyny...passion, perfidy and pathos...fantasy, fraud and pheromones. And that's just in the first act of City Theatre Company's “Bat Boy: The Musical” !!!

This group has worked off of miniscule budgets that tumbled off the fiscal cliff after the first show decades ago. Yet they continue to scale what would be insurmountable precipices for most acting companies.

This merry band of mavericks are the theatrical equivalent to those adrenalin junkies who scale mountains with neither crampons nor belaying ropes. The only equipment they bring is chalk dust and nerve.

Of the words gracing the first line of this missive, perhaps only Pheromone” is foreign. Pheromones are chemicals capable of acting outside the body of the secreting individual to impact the behavior of the receiving individual. Pivotal to this frankensteinian plot is the claim that the party of the first part, “the secreting individual” - (a common household bat) impacted the party of the second part – (the fertile mother Meredith, played by Dana Michael), resulting in the not-so-blessed event of Bat Boy ((Brendan Sheehan).

Director Michael Gray consistently uses every square inch of the black box of Opera Delaware Studios, this time even foraging for air space.

Bat Boy first appears peering over a crib, the identifiable ears a dead giveaway. He learns to speak from his adoptive family, yearns for acceptance and tries to join society, only to face hatred and violence from a town that fears him and jealous rage from his foster father.

The book deals with serious themes (such as hypocrisy, acceptance, forgiveness, racism, revenge and scapegoating), but often punctures the most serious moments with slapstick, surrealism, camp-horror and irony. The show also contains religious themes. Act II begins with a religious revival tent meeting featuring a faith healer (Steven Weatherman channeling his most vociferous Elmer Gantry). It's not so ironic that the town is named Hope Falls.
No other theatre company in Delaware could do justice to this stirring and evocative show. The songs are great; the singing equals the songs. Sheehan has a beautiful arching voice and we pity him as his plaintive calls for love and understanding go unanswered.
Many of the actors have duel roles. Adam Wahlberg plays Daisy, a woman – or is she a transvestite? (Director Gray is known for swapping genders with the same alacrity as our Congressmen trade insults). Wahlburg's show stopper is as Pan. Hold it. I didn't tell you there was a satyr in the story? Well, you'll just have to see it. And, you should.
This production is not for the faint of heart. In Act II we recreate the birth of Bat Boy. I was not the only audience member thunderstruck. Do horrifying and hysterical belong in the same sentence?
A great backstage band conducted by Joe Trainor.
Through December 15. City-Theatre.org

The Walnut's MUSIC MAN. Climb on board for "The Wells Fargo Wagon".

“The Music Man” is not only a beloved Broadway classic, but also has imprinted in our minds 4 signature characters from which succeeding actors are yardsticked. I speak of Robert Preston as Hill, Shirley Jones, Marian; Ron Howard, Winthrop and Paul Ford, Mayor Shinn.

The Walnut Street's “Music Man” succeeds in eliminating the “almost as good as” or 'not quite so and so”. This is as joyous and lovingly staged and acted a musical as you will ever witness. Smiles were plastered on the audience throughout. One felt privileged being in attendance. A classic show in a classic theatre (America's oldest - in its 204^th season!) served up with the highest quality talent and production values.

If a child actor is good, well, you've heard the rubric about following kids and animals. Vincent Crocilla plays Winthrop, the insecure little stutterer who falls under the spell of the consummate showman, Harold Hill, suitor to his big sister Marian. This precious child is TOO cute. When he struts the tune “Gary Indiana” (resembling Psy's Gangman dance), the house exploded. There were tears coursing down cheeks on a number of faces, male and female.

Jeffrey Coon (Hill) has a gorgeous voice. One must be a triple threat to do this part and he does not miss a step in Director/Choreographer Marc Robin's exhilarating production numbers. Robin's background must be in ballet, for there was much more of that than the normal jazz dance of past productions Aisle Say has witnessed.

Jennifer Hope Wills (Marian) starred for four years on Broadway as Christine in “Phantom”. Enough said regarding her transcendent voice! The ingenue merely changes addresses – from Paris to River City Iowa.

Set design at The Walnut has always been a strength. In the review of last season's “The King and I”, I mentioned the romance, glamor and power of Robert Andrew Kovach's set. River City is a long way from Siam's monarchical palace, but the fine art created by Kovach make the trees appear three dimensional. Quite a feat. It's like you are seeing a two dimensional set in Imax.

With the largest subscriber base of any theatre in America, The Walnut has a budget to do things to near perfection. Costume designer Colleen Grady fulfills her mission in capturing middle America in brilliant hues. As far as attention to detail....look at the shoes, the bonnets, the dresses of those pictured.

Tickets to this production would make thoughtful pre-Christmas presents. Thoughtful? Most certainly. It means you care enough about the recipient to wish she/he and theirs to glory in one of the two forms of music created in America...jazz and MUSICAL THEATRE. I doubt your friends will ever forget this show...this pastiche of Americana...as close to perfection as one could achieve.

Through January 6. Walnutstreettheatre.org 800.982.2787

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Climb onto "The Wells Fargo Wagon" for The Walnut's MUSIC MAN

“The Music Man” is not only a beloved Broadway classic, but also has imprinted in our minds 4 signature characters from which succeeding actors are yardsticked. I speak of Robert Preston as Hill, Shirley Jones, Marian; Ron Howard, Winthrop and Paul Ford, Mayor Shinn.

The Walnut Street's “Music Man” succeeds in eliminating the “almost as good as” or 'not quite so and so”. This is as joyous and lovingly staged and acted a musical as you will ever witness. Smiles were plastered on the audience throughout. One felt privileged being in attendance,. A classic show. in a classic theatre (America's oldest - in its 204^th season!) served up with the highest quality talent and production values.

If a child actor is good, well, you've heard the rubric about following kids and animals. Vincent Crocilla plays Winthrop, the insecure little stutterer who falls under the spell of the consummate showman, Harold Hill, suitor to his big sister Marian. This precious child is TOO cute. When he struts the tune “Gary Indiana” (resembling Psy's Gangman dance), the house exploded. There were tears coursing down cheeks on a number of faces, male and female.

Jeffrey Coon (Hill) has a gorgeous voice. One must be a triple threat to do this part and he does not miss a step in Director/Choreographer Marc Robin's exhilarating production numbers. Robin's background must be in ballet, for there was much more of that than the normal jazz dance of past productions Aisle Say has witnessed.

Jennifer Hope Wills (Marian) starred for four years on Broadway as Christine in “Phantom”. Enough said regarding her transcendent voice! The ingenue merely changes addresses – from Paris to River City Iowa.

Set design at The Walnut has always been a strength. In the review of last season's “The King and I”, I mentioned the romance, glamor and power of Robert Andrew Kovach's set. River City is a long way from Siam's monarchical palace, but the fine art created by Kovach make the trees appear three dimensional. Quite a feat. It's like you are seeing a two dimensional set in Imax.

With the largest subscriber base of any theatre in America, The Walnut has a budget to do things to near perfection. Costume designer Colleen Grady fulfills her mission in capturing middle America in brilliant hues. As far as attention to detail....look at the shoes, the bonnets, the dresses of those pictured.

Tickets to this production would make thoughtful pre-Christmas presents. Thoughtful? Most certainly. It means you care enough about the recipient to wish she/he and theirs to glory in one of the two forms of music created in America...jazz and MUSICAL THEATRE. I doubt your friends will ever forget this show...this pastiche of Americana...as close to perfection as one could achieve.

Through January 6. WalnutStreetTheatre.org 800.982.2787

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UD REP Ensemble's absurdest French farce "Anything To Declare"

Philadelphia professional sports teams are having an off year. The Phillies's Chase Utley and Ryan Howard suffered injuries and below par batting averages; the Eagles are imploding and the Sixer's long sought after big man, Andrew Bynum, has mysterious bone bruises.

The UD REP Ensemble - without doubt our state's greatest theatre - is suffering through its own sort of malaise. It is not the acting...which is always impeccable. And certainly not the other 'actors' in the production; the set, costumes and sound. It is the choice of shows.

This fourth season opened with an Irish play, “The Weir”. Even the director suggested in his notes it might be retitled “The Weird”. Aisle Say agrees.

Set in a desolate pub on a desolate night, tales of ghosts and the supernatural are shared by the characters in attendance. These yarns of love and loss were preternaturally talky talky and went nowhere.

Second up and currently playing is the French farce “Anything To Declare”. Sandy Robbins, Producing Artistic Director of this professional group, has consistently prodded, provoked and piqued his audiences. These two selections, however, had me scratching my head. Neither are classic examples of their genre.

Oui, madames et monsieurs, “Declare” is an example of turn of the century French vaudeville and debuted in 1906. Vaudeville features intricate and implausible plots with no pretense of a moral conclusion. So, in that context, it is a learning experience for the audience. In “Declares” case, however, there is a disconnect between the pushing of the artistic envelope and entertainment. Part of the disconnect is the use of contemporary catch phrases such as 'for pete's sake', 'scam', 'seal the deal'. In a 1906 setting in France?

An analogy would be the reason that George Gershwin's music in his many stage shows are not more popularly performed. It's due to the impossibly sophomoric and dated plots. The plot of “Declare” is simply too absurdest for even those familiar with farce to embrace. The laugh lines seemed forced.

There were scattered tittering circulating through the theatre during this production. Nothing, though, to compare with the mass eruptions of hysteria in the French farce “The Imaginary Invalid” of REP's premiere season, followed by year two's “Midsummer Night's Dream” or last year's “Skin Of Our Teeth”.

The extremely talented ensemble maintains their excellence. Michael Gotch, Elizabeth Heflin, Mic Matarrese, Stephen Pilinski and Kathleen Pirkl Tague are consummate actors.

Next up in January Sandy Robbins once again pioneers into unknown territory with the first DE production of “The Threepenny Opera”, lyrics by Bertolt Brecht and music by Kurt Weill. For those of you over 50, you may remember Bobby Darrin making his signature song “Mac the Knife”.

Through December 9. REP.udel.edu 302.2204

New Candlelight serves us a 'banquet' of holiday Song & Dance

Veteran Director Bob Kelly pulls together a panoply of old and new theatrical faces for a heartstrings tugging ode to the most wonderful time of the year in "Christmas by Candlelight".running through December 23.

No real plot, simply a very diverse musical array of what Christmas means to family and loved ones; a sumptuous banquet of sentimental, humorous and joyous musings.

Renown composers by the score were listed, many from Broadway. Jerry Herman's “We Need A Little Christmas” opened the show, perhaps a metaphor for the global conflicts abroad and the divisiveness nationally. Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn, partners in numerous Brdway shows also wrote “Let It Snow” and “Christmas Waltz”. My favorite '50's cowboy, Gene Autry composed “Here Comes Santa Claus”. Frank Loesser, of the immortal “Guys & Dolls” wrote “Baby It's Cold Outside”, finessed charmingly by Colleen McGinness and Rick Fountas. Meredith Willson of “Music Man' fame composed “It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas”. The chestnut, “Christmas Song” by Mel Torme, channeled by Timothy Lamont Cannon provoked some dewy eyes by those at our table.

This is a show of firsts: the first time ice skating was danced on NCT stage. Ice dancing choreographer Peter Bricotto gingerly navigated the tiny stage and exhibited fluid moves.

One of my favorite and certainly one of the most supremely talented choreographers in the region signed on for the show, Jen Quinn. Hopefully she will become a staple at this venerable venue. There were multitudinous tempo changes in the multitude of numbers and Jen's charges did not miss a step.

The vocal stars of the show – as they have in past productions – are David Snyder and Erica Scanlon Harr. Erica serves as emcee, segueing from one theme to another. Her monologue is perhaps a bit schmaltzy and at points, slows the energy created by the talented ensemble.

However, the duos clarion voices excel in “Have Yourself A Merry Merry Christmas” and “Silver Bells”. Music Director David Wills did a wonderful job in ensemble harmonizing of the joyous and jubilant religious oeuvres such as “Little Drummer Boy”, “O Holy Night” and “Do You Hear What I Hear”, featuring the beauteous Lindsay Mauck.

Mr. Cannon doubles down as Costume Designer. I am well aware his budget is slim. Yet, the outfits on the women sparkle like the top of the tree.

Another new face behind stage is Tracy Friswell Jacobs, who has brought several 9-13 year olds to perform. Some of the kids' bios are precious: Lily Grace Nordheimer is “super excited to be on the main stage”; Evelyn Schiavone declares “I have been an actress for 4 years!!!”

A tender and warm hearted show for the entire family. A great gift and a great way for your kids to be inspired by seeing other kids perform.

NCTstage.org Through December 23 302.475.2313

Tracy Jacobs has her own show with these kids and more upcoming on the Laird stage at Tatnall school on 15 and 16 December. NYOTC.org Tickets 302.595.4160

Alfred I. perhaps the greatest du Pont humanitarian

Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden has thrown down his gauntlet in the millions at stake between Delaware and Florida over the Nemours Foundation.

Alfred I could arguably be considered the most humanitarian of all the celebrated du Pont family members. The family and company changed our tiny state into a global commodity and international tourist destination..

Alfred ranks with founder, E I, who forever ingrained not only chemical knowledge but also social consciousness in the fibre of the company; P S invested $6 million of his own money to completely upend the racist based “Separate But Equal” education system of the '20's. Coleman du Pont, who with his own money constructed Rt 13, the first paved road coursing an entire state.

These three cousins bought the company from their uncles in 1902. The elders were about to sell to a competitor. Alfred was the only of the three who worked at Eleutherian Mills. He came up with the grand idea to save the company and keep it here.

Without A.I's daring plan for purchase, today there would be no Nemours Foundation, no Longwood Gardens, no Winterthur, no X Station, no Wilmington once pegged as “The Chemical Capital of the World”, no Nemours Mansion, no Mt. Cuba, no Hagley, no Howard High, no Tower Hill School...the list goes on.

Think Frank Capra's “It's A Wonderful Life”.with an adverse outcome.

In 1927 A.I.'s net worth in DuPont stock was valued at $70 million. That did not include the value of the undeveloped northern Florida land he would acquire totaling 320,000 acres costing $1.6 million (a princely $5.00 an acre) and the seven banks he established there during that time.

Alfred, like E.I, had social consciousness. His enlightened values centered on on the elderly retirees who had no lifeline to exist beyond others. He was a social legislator before his time.

In 1929, 40% of Delawareans over 65 were dependent upon others. That year A.I had introduced before the state legislature a bill to provide pensions. This was the very first legislation in the country that provided for blanket pensions to those of the certain age. He declared in the prologue of the bill, “ simple human justice decrees that society preserve independence and self respect of the elderly.”

He didn't have to do this. He could have sat back with his millions. But he - as the eldest son of the eldest son of the eldest son of the founder - practiced words spoken from 1802: 'For every privilege, there is inseparably bound a duty'

The bill did not pass. The legislature would not convene for another two years but du Pont was optimistic of its passage going forward. It was not in his character to fiddle over incidentals.

Alfred collected names of all those who qualified for his proposed pension plan. For the next two years, he paid out of his own pocket $200,000.00 per year to these Delawareans... anonymously.
A few years later A.I fully subscribed to the aspirations of FDR's New Deal, pointing out he had been advocating these issues for years. He believed in the reapportionment of wealth in the country, giving more to the needy and less to the rich.

The Nemours Foundation was originally chartered to care not only for children with orthopedic problems but also pensioners. He wrote: 'The Nemours Foundation shall be created and maintained as a memorial to my great, great grandfather, Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours....for the purpose of maintaining...a charitable institution for the care and treatment of crippled children, but not incurables, or the care of old men or old women, and particularly couples, first consideration, in each instance, being given to beneficiaries who are residents of Delaware.'

A.I's net worth at his death at 70 years in January of 1935. He and his third wife Jessie Ball du Pont created the concept for Nemours Foundation. They originally considered the Mansion to be converted into the hospital. Jessie and her brother Ed Ball outlived him by many years and invested millions in Florida.

Said the modest A.I. “My philosophy of life is simple: be fair to every one; do as much good as you can. Be honest with yourself, which means, be honest with everybody.”